Omaha daily bee., 1887-08-19
THE MAD ENGINEER.

THE MAD ENGINEER.
His name was Wendall-Earl W endall,
very pretty name, you will say, but il
was very appropriate, for | will 90 on
record as saying that he was the hand.
soonest man l eyer stocked for in a life's
experience in locomotive cab. When l
say handsome, why, that is just what
mean exactly, for he was really and truly
handsome, and what made him still more
so in my eyes, he didn't know it. That
is, you wouldn't tnink he knew it, from
handsome Earl Wendall of the So had
been firing for him about eighteen months.
and had come to love him as a brother.
This same Earl Wendall that am telling
you about was in love. He was IN love.
not with the girls at every station, but
with one girl, and he was determined to
keep his heart for her and her only.
the supper house for our train. 1t was
called the Bush supper house,. Bush
was jolly old German and was uni
versally liked by the railroaders and
travellers generally. He was the father
of as pretty q girl rs ever took q step.
Her name was Bessie. and she wns Earl
Wendall's idol. can't begin to describe
her, but she was just the girl, l thought,
for Earl Wendall. The time came when
end. They were TO be married Sunday
coming two weeks. Then something
happened. A MIR. Eubanks came to the
hotel and from that moment Bess chilled
to Earl. On the very Sunday night fixed
by Earl she became Mrs. Eubanks, and
the happy couple took our train to start
their bridal tour. Poor Earl, what could
do or say to cheer him in this hour of
utter despair. Our train was mixed one
freight with one passenger coach. The
bridal party was in the coach and Earl
knew it. AS l jumped into the cab l
heard a groan escape him and by the
furnace fire saw an unnatural, almost
terrible, look onhis face. AS we pulled
out he threw the engine wide open and
she shot out like cannon ball. Faster
and faster we went, until the cars jumped
and ratlled as though they were going to
leave the track every minute. l hardly
knew when we reached the first station.
We whizzed by like streak, not check
ing IN the least. The rain was by this
time binding. My hair fairly stood on
end. Earl, seeing how frightened l was,
gave loud laugh, which CHILLED me to
the very marrow of my bones. under
the tram off the track if possible
and let every soul on board perish. Be,
fore 1 was aware of what he was
doing he had disappeared through tho
CAB window and was making his way to
the front of the engine. In another in
stant the headlight was out! de had
turned it off, and we were plunging into
utter darkness at the rate of thirty miles
an hour! Coming back into the engine
with his pistol in his hand, he took his
seat on the box and gave himself up to
the most hilarious laughter. made a
spring to his side, with the intention of
shutting her off, but he ordered me back
with his cooked pistol in my face. BY
this time the conductor. knowing some
thing was wrong, came over the cars to
the front, followed by two or three pas
sengers, among them Eubanks.
"'What is the mattcry' asked the con-
ductor, rs he sprang on to the engine.
"'Stand backn shouted Earl, with his
pistol presented. Pm running this en-
gine, and the first man who attempts to
interfere is dead mani
Eubanks made rush at Earl, who, Mt
sight of his rival, fairly foamed with
rage g,vu,, 30 oouoox,o, .uo, ,oro -
terfere? You, of all menY
Eubanks recOiled, horror stricken, but
while the conductor and Earl were talk
ing in an excited tone. he slipped up be-
hind Earl with billet of wood, ready to
strike.
"'Look behind, Earl" | cried. In an
ltlotdut uc ldu Jul ucu anu SI" LuDuhhoI
ready to brain him
"Villain! Not satisfied with winning
my bride, you would kill me!' And as
he said these words his pistol rang out
amid the din and confusion, and Eu.
banks bridal tour had ended.
NOW, he SAID. turning to the conduc-
tor, you may stop the train. I've had
my revenge
Grabbing hold of the lever the conduo-
tor shut off the steam, and the
train which moment ago was
plunging along at such a terrific
rate of speed, was at a standstill. went
back to the passenger car and conducted
Bessie to the horrible scene that awaited
her coming. When she beheld the dead
form of her young husband on the floor
of the cab her loud, piercing screams
could have been heard a mile. Turning
her eyes up to Earl, who was standing
there with contemplate smile on his
face, she demanded
"'And you are the author OF this"
Earl did not speak. Her cold, rcproach-
full glance cowed him. lie lcapcd from
the engine and was seen no more.
What became of Miss Bessie, his sweet
hearty you ask.
Oh she is my wife A year after tho
events transpred we were married, in
the same room that she and Eubanks
were married in. Young, you say, to
marry me9 Oh, no She was twenty,
while | was only thirty-tiye.